Marc Simont

Marc Simont died in July.  He was 97 years old.  He was the illustrator of one of Emma's favorite picture books (mine too!).

This is a wonderful book.  The orchestra players are getting ready for a Friday evening performance and the story takes the reader through the dressing routine.  The illustrations are just fabulous.

A lovely video!

When I read the news that Simont had died, I ran upstairs to the bookcase in my room, the one where I moved all the picture books because I just can not get rid of them, and started to find other books illustrated by him.

Caldecott Medal winner, 1957

I ordered through the library the Happy Day, by Ruth Krauss.  She also wrote The Carrot Seed among many other stories but Simont illustrated Happy Day.  He was a runner-up for the Caldecott in 1950 for this book.  I didn't know this book and did not know until the last page what was going to happen!

This title we read one year for our mother daughter book group

I've enjoyed going back into the book shelves and pulling out everything.  I miss acquiring picture books for the kids!

Tourism, canning and cooking

Sean and I decided to go down to the Mall yesterday - not the end where the 50th anniversary March celebration was but the other end - the National Archives and National Building Museum.

At the Archives, there is an exhibit called DOCUAMERICA- a series of photographs taken by photographers for the EPA in the 1970's.

After that we strolled through the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and sat by the fountain.  My favorite piece is the Typewriter Eraser by Claes Oldenburg.

Then headed to the National Building Museum to play mini golf and to see an exhibit on the

Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces

It's about a Spanish father and son who built some of the amazing structures with domes in the early 20th century, such as the Boston Public Library.

Exhausted coming home but a Garden Goddess's job is never done (thank you Kathryn for my new name).  So while Sean relaxed (ok, he did some pruning in the yard) I made zucchini relish.  A new recipe from Food in Jars.  Most of the recipes I've tried in this book have worked - a few exceptions didn't turn out quite right - I have strawberry syrup instead of jam but who cares!

Zucchini, peppers

Vinegar, red pepper, mustard seeds, celery seeds, sea salt, sugar

Grate zucchini and onion, chop pepper.  Cook down with vinegar.  Drain, add more vinegar, spices and sugar.

Put in jars.  Process in water bath

Yum

A little leftover goes into pretty jar and back into the fridge

All done

Add to the canning shelf in basement.  Running out of room!

While the jars were processing, I decided to use up the last of the fresh peaches and make peach-blackberry cobbler.  Curtesy of King Arthur Baking Book.  Most cobblers are cooked fruit with a biscuit topping but this had a pie topping.  Delicious.

Ready to go in the oven

Out of the oven

The tree comes down

Today was the day!  The Silver Maple was taken down.  The guys were awesome.  The head of the group was also very cute!  (He's in the white hardhat)

Here are the pictures of it being cut down, logs transported over the fence and stump ground.